Quiet Please!

True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. – William Penn (1644 – 1718)

The value of silence is often overlooked in today’s society. Like a favorite book covered by mounds of unfiled paperwork, out of sight is out of mind. We tend to forget the beauty and fullness of silence, and how silence allows us to create. But the richness of silence should never be overlooked. Instead, silence should be savored like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winters’ day.

If you are at all like me, you find yourself constantly “plugged in”...... with technology rapidly becoming the center of your life. A day or so away from email and social networking can lead to withdrawal pains. Your boss may want to make sure that you are still available by cell, even though you are on vacation. And, of course, you always need to keep track of your fantasy teams.

We’re told that multi-tasking is good and that we should make the best use of our time by listening to self-help books on tape while driving in the car. And our nature hike would not be complete without our trusty I-pod providing us with our favorite tunes and blotting out all semblance of nature.

What if silence was not the vast wasteland it is presumed to be, but rather a place of physical and spiritual healing? What if silence allowed us to hear the thoughts behind the words; the meaning behind the actions; and intent behind the behavior?

How much smarter would we be if we spent more time listening and less time talking?

Do you allow silence into your life? Do you allow time for reflection and thought? Or are you too busy completing the tasks at hand to hear the whispers and messages being sent to you in the quiet of the day.

Silence is the conduit of thought. Without silence our thoughts are distorted by the noise around us.


Until next time....

Dave Meyer
ECI Learning Systems LLC
http://www.ecilearning.com/